


mistakes in our memories

by soonhan



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Awkwardness, Clubbing, Dating, Drinking, Grinding, Growing Up, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Making Out, Partying, School Dances, Slow Dancing, Spin the Bottle, not so casual sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 11:25:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11827749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soonhan/pseuds/soonhan
Summary: 5 people Seokmin accidentally kisses, and the one person he means to kiss.





	mistakes in our memories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [girltalk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/girltalk/gifts).



It was Jeonghan’s idea, of course, to play a game of spin the bottle at Mingyu’s 14th birthday party. He had grabbed the nearly finished coke bottle from Soonyoung’s hand, feigning deaf to his protest and downing the rest before calling out to everyone that they were going to play right now with no exceptions. Soonyoung’s frown flipped around as fast as humanly possible, and he practically ran to the middle of the living room floor to sit down.

Seokmin covered his mouth with his hand, trying to keep in a laugh. Soonyoung’s confession to him just last year came to mind, with cherry red cheeks and sparkling eyes, about how much he wanted to kiss someone. His first kiss had happened later that year, and yet Soonyoung’s desire to kiss still hadn’t been sated. Mingyu and Minghao tugged him towards the circle and out of his thoughts, and he found himself seated in between Junhui and Jihoon.

The first few rounds went as awkwardly as a game of spin the bottle could, with people kissing cheeks and hands, and always with as much stalling as the two kissing could manage. After a while Jeonghan made it a rule that it had to be on the mouth, even for just the briefest moment. The stalling only got worse after that.

There was a brief incident where Minghao was hesitating to the point that he had pretty much frozen in place only a centimeter from Mingyu’s mouth, and after a long weary sigh Jeonghan nudged his ass with his foot so he toppled forward into Mingyu. Jeonghan could only laugh when a crimson Minghao turned around and cursed him out, managing to ease his anger and ending the fight almost as soon as it started. Seokmin marveled at how Jeonghan not only avoided Minghao’s fury but somehow ended up with the boy cuddling up to his side afterwards. He figured it was because Jeonghan had some sort of magic that he didn’t know about.

After a while his turn came up again, the first time since the lips-only rule. He held his breath and spun it quickly, watching it with wide eyes as it went round and round, his heart leaping in his throat with each turn. When it came to a stop the bottle seemed to be pointing towards him, but before he could sigh in relief Jeonghan’s finger jabbed at the bottle and a sweet smile spread across his face. Seokmin swallowed in fear.

“It’s actually pointing more to the right.”

He turned his head and made eye contact with Jihoon, his already wide eyes going comically wider. Jihoon’s eyebrows raised in shock, opening his mouth to protest before realizing he could have left the game at any point. He shut his mouth and lowered his eyes to the carpet.

Seokmin reached out and pulled Jihoon's hands into his lap, but was unable to link his fingers with him since Jihoon abruptly pulled them away.

“Don't do that," he hissed, "just kiss me."

Soonyoung whooped from across the circle, earning a rough jab in his side that made his cheer morph into a whine. He tried to elbow Wonwoo back and ended up nearly falling over when he dodged it.

“Looks like someone's eager," Jeonghan announced.

Seokmin could see the slight flush on his face since they were looking at each other, or rather Jihoon would be looking at him too if his eyes were doing anything but make contact with his. Jihoon jerked forward quickly, their lips touching for the only a moment before he pulled away and stared into the circle again, glaring daggers at the harmless coke bottle that was barely pointed at him.

While he never mentioned it again after that day, Seokmin didn’t think he could ever forget the quiver of Jihoon's lips against his or the small gasp that Jihoon had made that was just loud enough for him to hear. He may have never been able to harm a hair on Seokmin's head, but Seokmin would never do anything to harm his pride.

And even in all the years they knew each other after, he never told him it was his first kiss. He always wondered if it had been Jihoon's first too.

***

Seokmin seemed to have the remarkable ability of ending up in the wrong place at just the wrong time. Only now did he regret stealing sips from Seungkwan's cup after finishing his own, because his bladder was upset with him and telling him he ought to find the bathroom quickly unless he wanted to deal with a disaster. With the party host otherwise indisposed doing whatever and really nowhere to be found, he took it upon himself to locate a toilet on his own.

Wandering down a hall in dim lighting lead him to a door he assumed was the bathroom, and he stepped inside with his hand feeling up the wall for the light switch.

Quite suddenly he felt someone press him up against the door, hands caressing his neck, but before he had a chance to speak there were a pair of warm, rough lips against his own.

He felt a passion behind the kiss, insistent but gentle, and he could sense a great deal of adoration from whoever was behind it. Shock stunned him into silence, his palms resting flat against the door as the kiss continued. The hands on his neck drifted lower, over his shoulders and down his arms. After a moment the mouth on his froze, and then it pulled away slowly.

“Josh?"

Seokmin recognized the voice before he processed what was said, and when he did his body managed to snap out of its shocked state.

“Seungcheol?"

There was a loud clatter as Seungcheol stumbled back, reaching out to catch himself on the shelves behind him. Seokmin widened his eyes and lifted his arms to help Seungcheol but he was stopped when Seungcheol pushed his hands away.

“I’m okay, it’s fine.” He could hear the embarrassment in Seungcheol’s voice, and if the closet were a bit more well-lit he would have probably been able to see the his face flushing bright red.

“Can you not mention this to anyone?” Seungcheol asked, standing up and dusting off the nothing that had gotten on his clothes. Seokmin nodded, and then waited a few seconds before realizing Seungcheol probably couldn’t see it in the dark.

“I promise I’ll keep it a secret,” he said, hoping he sounded as sincere as possible. Seungcheol sighed and stepped closer, placing a hand on Seokmin’s shoulder and squeezing it appreciatively. Seokmin tensed and looked in the direction he thought Seungcheol’s face was in.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. He scooted around Seokmin to get out of the closet, the previously dim light of the hall almost blinding when he cracked the door open. Before he could get out fully he stopped, staring into the hall. Seokmin furrowed his brow and leaned to look out and see what he had made him stop.

Joshua was right beside the closet, his hand fisted into his shirt and his eyes boring into Seungcheol with a mixture of shock and confusion. Seokmin’s eyes darted to Seungcheol, a wave of sympathetic fear washing over him when he saw the look on his face. He swore he could see Seungcheol’s eyes starting to shine. He wished he’d just stayed and hid in the closet, uncomfortable having become the third party in this confrontation.

“Josh…” Seungcheol’s voice was whisper quiet, like he had to force it out of his throat. Joshua jumped at the sound, his hand gripping his shirt tighter.

“Uh, maybe I should go?” Joshua said, unable to make eye contact with either of them. Though he was barely touching him Seokmin could still feel Seungcheol tense up. He reached out and gripped his shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

“No, I’m going. You guys should talk though,” Seokmin said quickly, nudging Seungcheol forward. He walked around him and then returned to the party until his bladder reminded him why he’d even ended up in that situation in the first place.

He passed Jeonghan on his way to the bathroom, and he wouldn’t have stopped if it wasn’t for the look on Jeonghan’s face. He was staring in the direction of the hallway Seokmin had just left, a devilish grin on his face. That was a red flag if he ever saw one.

“What are you doing?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Jeonghan’s grin faded into faux innocence, lifting his shoulders in a non-committal shrug.

“Just waiting for Josh. He said he’d be right back.” The look in his eyes told Seokmin all he needed to know. Whatever plan Jeonghan had come up with he hoped he knew what he was doing. 

***

Walking into the darkness of the gym was a huge contrast to the brightly lit foyer he’d just left. Flashy neon lasers twirled and danced throughout the room making patterns on the walls, and it was the only source of light aside from the irregular flash of fluorescent from the doors of the gym opening and closing. Seokmin could barely make out the faces of the people in the crowd in front of him, the lasers making it even harder to see every time he accidentally looked over at the machines. Music boomed out of two large speakers near the front of the gym, making the floor hum beneath their feet. Seokmin’s heartbeat started to pound in his chest, and a grin spreading across his face.

“Come on!” Soonyoung shouted above the noise, grabbing Seokmin’s wrist and tugging him towards the speakers. Loud was their thing; for them it was less of an adjective and more of a lifestyle. Soonyoung twirled around as he was heading towards the front and started lipsyncing the lyrics in his signature over-the-top way. Seokmin laughed, loud enough that it could be heard over the blaring music.

A small crowd of people near the DJ’s table drew them closer, able to recognize their friends by their sheer mass alone. When they noticed them they got pulled in, someone pushing Soonyoung into the middle of the circle where he shot them all a grin and started to dance. Seungcheol was quickly drawn in too, linking his hand with Soonyoung’s and shaking his ass to the music.

Seokmin caught Mingyu across the circle laughing and falling against Minghao, and when he looked around the circle he could see everyone else was either smiling or laughing too. A lump formed in his throat, his already rabbit-like heart beating faster, and suddenly all he could do was laugh. Minghao shot him a bewildered smile and pulled him into the middle of the circle with him and Mingyu. Seokmin’s face was starting to hurt from how much he was grinning, but he couldn’t help it- not when he felt that happy.

Song after song passed and their circle dissolved into a mass of them bobbing and bouncing to the beat, singing along until their throats felt raw. It only ended when the first slow song came on, which for them usually meant time to breathe and slump against the wall until the next upbeat song came on.

There was a chorus of cheers and Seokmin turned his head to see Joshua with his arms around Seungcheol, the pair starting to sway to the music. Seungcheol was staring at the floor in between his feet, and Joshua had his head ducked shyly to the side. The memory of their encounter in the closet flashed in Seokmin’s mind. Seems they’d figured it out in the end after all.

A little ways away from them Soonyoung and Jeonghan were dancing as well, but considering how close they were to Joshua and Seungcheol and the over-exaggerated way they were waltzing Seokmin had a hard time believing that it was genuine. It was when they started making kissy faces in the other couple’s direction that he had to stifle a laugh, watching Seungcheol bury his face in Joshua’s shoulder and Joshua cover his eyes with one hand. They only teased them the first minute or so, after that they had more fun bothering other couples by nearly spinning into them in their hectic whirlwind of a slow dance, if it could even be called that. Seokmin swore he even saw Jeonghan dip Soonyoung in between two people at one point before a teacher came over and scolded them.

The end of the night came too soon, as it always did. Only a handful of them were left, seeing as it was nearly eleven o’clock at night. He had already texted his mom and was waiting to hear back. Once she told him she was on her way he made his way over to the wall where Soonyoung was trying to keep Jeonghan from passing out.

“You guys heading home soon?” he asked, hardly having to raise his voice over the last few slow songs the DJ was playing for straggling couples.

“Yeah, I texted his mom too, since he could barely keep his eyes open to do it himself,” Soonyoung replied. Seokmin chuckled, waving goodbye to them as he walked towards the foyer. He had almost left when he noticed Seungkwan staring at the DJ and sighing, his fingers laced together in front of him while he slumped against the wall. He walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to snap out of his reverie.

“What’s wrong?” Seungkwan started fussing with his hands, dropping his eyes to the ground before letting out a quick laugh. The song that was playing faded out and another slow song started.

“I’ve never danced with anyone,” he said, lifting his head to stare out at the couples on the floor. Seokmin followed his gaze and then let his face break out into a smile. When he turned back to Seungkwan he cleared his throat and extended his hand, bowing down slightly. Seungkwan stared down at his hand with wide eyes, his lips parting in a soft gasp.

He accepted his hand with a duck of his head and a shy smile that Seokmin only caught just before his bangs hid his face. He pulled Seungkwan closer and placed his hands on his hips, and in turn Seungkwan put his hands on his shoulders. They started by swaying to the music gently, Seungkwan’s face still hidden from view.

“Is this okay?” Seokmin asked, worried Seungkwan had changed his mind about doing this. Seungkwan’s head whipped up and Seokmin could see that his cheeks were bright red, his eyes wide and shining. His mouth was stretched into a huge smile.

“Are you kidding? Seokmin this is the nicest thing you’ve ever done for me!”

His heart swelled at his words, and without thinking he leaned in and pressed his lips to Seungkwan’s, wrapping his arms completely around him so he was flush against his body. It lasted maybe a second before he pulled away, his heart in his throat beating so hard he was afraid it would pop. Seungkwan stared at him without saying a word, his mouth open in shock. The hands on his shoulders felt like vices. In Seokmin’s back pocket, his phone buzzed.

“I have to go,” he whispered. Seungkwan did nothing but nod and drop his hands from his shoulder, letting Seokmin run past him and out into the parking lot where his mom was waiting.

“Are you alright?” His mom asked when he threw himself into the passenger’s seat. He nodded and shut the door a little too hard, wincing at the noise and expecting to be reprimanded. Outside he could see that Seungkwan was standing in the doorway of the school, his head turned in his direction.

Within the safety of his mom’s car he could finally breathe. He pressed his smile into the palm of his hand, gripping his phone tightly and ignoring the sudden rush of buzzes that went off. His mother shot him a cursory look before starting the car and driving away. He watched out the window until he couldn’t see Seungkwan anymore, and then he finally unlocked his phone to face the fire.

He had several texts from Soonyoung and Jeonghan, including a picture of him and Seungkwan slow dancing with the caption “you guys look cute” and then about a hundred questions each. There was only one from Seungkwan, and he opened it with a shaky hand.

**_Why did you kiss me?_ **

Seokmin swallowed, wet his lips, and then swallowed again. He racked his brain for the reason why and just got a headache. So instead he typed what came immediately to mind.

**_I don’t know. I was happy. You make me happy._ **

He flipped his phone over and stared out the window hard, trying to make sense of his mess of a mind. His phone was quiet for a long time before it buzzed again.

**_You make me happy too._ **

***

Being in college brought a lot of new experiences that Seokmin had been more than happy to discover, but he never expected to end up in the back room of a club with one of his childhood best friends inches from his face smelling like the shots they’d both just downed and a faint cologne that had been mostly sweated off.

Soonyoung ran his hands over Seokmin’s thighs, leaning in until there wasn’t even an inch between them. His eyes, which he’d so carefully done up in eyeliner and shadow, dropped to Seokmin’s lips, and Seokmin’s tongue darted out to wet them unconsciously.

“Do you remember what I told you in 6th grade?” he asked, voice low and slightly languid. Seokmin swallowed, wondering if he could ever forget. Now Soonyoung’s cherry red cheeks were from something completely different, and his eyes shone with something that wasn’t exactly innocence.

“Did you know I’ve always wanted to kiss you?”

The hands on his legs tightened, thumbs rubbing against his inner thighs and making him gasp. He spread them under Soonyoung’s touch, eyelids fluttering closed as Soonyoung’s face got closer, closing the distance.

He was warm, wet, soft- it made Seokmin groan into Soonyoung’s mouth, reaching up to grip his hair tightly. Soonyoung gasped and arched into Seokmin, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth and sinking his teeth in lightly. Seokmin’s fist tightened in his hair and he pulled Soonyoung’s head back before growling and kissing down his neck.

Soonyoung’s knee slipped in between Seokmin’s thighs, his too-tight leather pants hiding nothing. Seokmin felt his erection against his leg and it made his head go even fuzzier, his tongue dragging over Soonyoung’s pulse and tasting the sweat that had formed on his skin from their night of dancing. He pressed his thigh further against his cock when Soonyoung started grinding against it, and the pressure made Soonyoung cry out.

“Fuck me,” he hissed, tipping his head back. Seokmin started to suck a mark into his shoulder, his hands slipping from his back down to his ass, which only encouraged Soonyoung. His hips rolled even harder, his hands pulling Seokmin back into a kiss that was more tongue than anything else. Seokmin could hardly breathe.

He slipped past Soonyoung’s waistband, which was a miracle in and of itself, and groaned roughly when he found that Soonyoung was wearing nothing underneath. He pushed Soonyoung’s ass forward and squeezed, and in return Soonyoung got louder.

Soon he was moving Soonyoung’s hips for him, the friction making Soonyoung gasp and tip forward into his chest, his hands running down his stomach until he was rubbing Seokmin through his jeans.

“God Soonyoung,” he groaned, clenching his teeth when Soonyoung’s tongue flattened against his nipple through his shirt. “You’re going to make me come in my pants...”

That only prompted Soonyoung to press his face in further, soaking the fabric through with his spit as he mouthed at his chest. Seokmin shuddered and let his head fall back against the wall, trying to push up against Soonyoung’s hand and mouth at the same time, knowing he was only seconds away from coming.

The door of the back room suddenly opened and a head poked through, calling into the back.

“Hey, Soonyoung are you-”

Jeonghan stopped when he saw them, his eyes going impossibly wide. Hearing his voice Soonyoung looked over his shoulder, and with his entire body pressed up against Seokmin he could feel him completely freeze. There were a few heavy moments where no one moved, a tableau of shock and uncertainty. Then Jeonghan let out a short laugh, his face twisting in embarrassment and hand tightening on the door knob.

“Guess you’re busy.” Jeonghan turned on his heel and let the door slam after him, and Seokmin swore he had heard his voice break on the last syllable. Soonyoung stared after him for a long time before peeling himself off of Seokmin.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his hand curled around one of Seokmin’s wrists. He still wasn’t looking at him, his eyes fixed on the door back to the club. Gently, Seokmin slipped his wrist out of his grasp and Soonyoung’s hand fell limp at his side. He blinked slowly a couple times before he snapped his head back to Seokmin.

“Sorry to leave you like this,” he said, gesturing to Seokmin’s body still pressed up against the wall. Seokmin swallowed and closed his legs, trying his best to give Soonyoung a genuine smile.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to continue.” He pulled at his shirt and ran his hand through his hair, a feeble attempt at fixing himself up. Soonyoung chewed the inside of his cheek and averted his eyes, staring at the door once more. His own hair was a mess and his shirt had come undone, though he made no move to fix either.

“I have to…” He didn’t finish the thought, already walking away from Seokmin, his steps getting faster the more he took. Seokmin was left alone, his mind still hazy from the alcohol. If he had been a bit more sober it would have occurred to him that something big had just happened, something he never meant to get in the middle of. As it was all he could do was let his head fall back and his eyes close, wishing he’d had just a few seconds more.

***

Seokmin stepped over the threshold, feeling every bit like he didn’t belong there. The air was heavy, a stark contrast to the cold evening air outside, and all he wanted to do was leave. He still had a chance, but there were eyes on him now and he had promised himself he would stick to his plan.

The living room was the most packed, people filling every seat available as well as the more unconventional seats- tables, boxes, laps; any surface flat or comfortable enough was occupied. Seokmin hovered by the entryway, scanning the room for anyone he knew.

Someone pushed at his back and he shuffled into the room, quickly moving out of the way when complaints were called out that he was blocking the TV. He ended up on the other side of the room, nearly bumping into a loveseat by the far wall.

He met eyes with someone sitting in a lap, and it took him a moment to realize he was looking at Soonyoung. Memories of the club resurfaced immediately, and he suddenly felt a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. Soonyoung smiled and waved at him, and Seokmin would have felt rude not to return it.

The owner of the lap peered over Soonyoung’s shoulder, causing a chill to run down Seokmin’s spine. The sweet smile on Jeonghan’s face contrasted the possessive hand that curled over Soonyoung’s shoulder, his fingers running up his neck making Soonyoung bite his lip.

“Hey Seokmin, looking for someone?”

“Actually, yeah. Have you seen Mingyu?” Stick to the plan. He would apologize to him later, unwilling to let Jeonghan keep a grudge against him for a drunken mistake. As much as he liked making out with Soonyoung, that wasn’t a mess he wanted to make any worse.

The fingers on Soonyoung’s neck trailed over his jaw and then pressed against his lips, the tips slipping past them very slightly. Seokmin had to look away, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. He tried to ignore the soft noises Soonyoung was making, and he wondered just how much he had had to drink by now.

“Last I saw him he was out on the deck, you can check there,” Jeonghan said, his smile a little less sweet when they met eyes again. Before Jeonghan got any ideas that involved a large bed and the three of them, he spun on his heel and made for the backyard. The last he saw of them was Soonyoung turning around in Jeonghan’s lap to start kissing his neck. Seokmin could feel his cheeks burning furiously- the memory of Soonyoung’s mouth and tongue was so vivid he could practically feel it.

His search of the deck, and practically whole yard, wasn’t fruitful. Every time he asked someone where Mingyu was they would give him a different answer. Mingyu had told him he would be at the party, that he would meet him. Seokmin’s carefully laid plans were crumbling before him and he wasn’t sure he was willing to piece them back together.

He returned to the living room, disappointed. Soonyoung and Jeonghan were still tangled on the couch, but now they were sitting nose to nose, cheeks flushed and laughing quietly at whatever the other had said. His heart ached watching them, and he turned away to continue through the party.

Minghao was in the kitchen, the lights dim and floor sticky, a large garbage bag overturned near the doorway. Seokmin crouched down to fix it, tossing semi-empty cans back inside before Minghao walked over and crouched beside him. He wasn’t sure why, but tears started to form in his eyes.

“Hey, wanna go outside?” Seokmin shook his head, staring at the label of the can he was holding. His vision was too blurry to read it.

“I was already outside,” he said, the shakiness of his voice too hard to hide. Minghao’s arm looped over his shoulder, leading him out of the kitchen and winding through the crowds, letting Seokmin keep his head lowered. He wasn’t sure where they were going until he felt the mattress beneath him. He sat on the edge, staring at his hands and trying to will his tears away, but they fell relentlessly without a sign of letting up.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Seokmin shook his head. There was no good reason for him to be crying, and the longer he cried the stupider he felt. Mingyu probably had a good reason for not being there, and there would be other times to tell him how he felt. Still his tears wouldn’t listen to his logic.

There was a dip in the mattress as Minghao sat beside him, and after a moment he felt a thumb wiping under his eyes, trying in vain to brush his tears away. He finally looked up, his expression blank except for the furrow of his brow. Minghao’s pupils darted over his face, his gaze intense. For some reason Seokmin felt like he was trying to read his mind. His expression softened, and Seokmin felt comforted just staring back at him.

As if he was possessed he leaned in and kissed Minghao hard, his hands twisting into his shirt and holding him close. Minghao jumped, then relaxed, and then reached out and pushed Seokmin back. He noticed that his tears had stopped, and his lips tingled from the force he had used.

“I want to have sex.” His mouth was acting on its own it seemed. He let it do what it wanted.

“Are you sure?” He wasn’t really sure, but he wanted a distraction. He needed one. He nodded. Minghao leaned in again and kissed him softly, then turned rougher, his hands roaming over the expanse of Seokmin’s body eagerly. Before long they were both dripping with sweat and panting into each other’s skin, bedsheets around their ankles. Seokmin wrapped his legs around Minghao’s slim waist and let his mind go blissfully empty.

Afterwards they promised there hadn’t been any feelings involved, but it meant more than they ever meant it to.

***

Seokmin was good at making mistakes. He had made quite a few in his life, leading up to now. He’d gotten mixed up in things he never meant to, kissed people he shouldn’t have, let his emotions get the better of him- but there was one thing he planned on getting right.

The sun was starting to set by the time Mingyu showed up, the familiar sound of gravel crunching under wheels as his car pulled into the driveway. Seokmin got into the passenger’s side and smiled, looking him over quickly- he was dressed pretty well for the boardwalk.

“You look nice,” he said, making Mingyu duck his head and grin sheepishly.

“So do you,” he replied. There was a blush creeping on his face, and Seokmin’s heart fluttered. He wondered why it had taken so long to get to this point, but life had a funny way of doing that. Mingyu pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the sea. Seokmin sang along to the songs on the radio all the way there, and Mingyu joined in every so often when he was feeling brave.

The boardwalk wasn’t too busy for a late summer evening, which Seokmin found surprising. He was glad for it though, it meant he didn’t have to worry for a good spot. They made their way down, stopping at almost every booth. They browsed for the most part, not for want of anything in particular. Seokmin stopped Mingyu at a games booth and they spent a few too many rounds trying to win a stuffed animal that neither of them really needed nor had the space for. No matter how close Mingyu got he never quite got enough, and after a while Seokmin started to worry for his wallet.

“I could have won it eventually,” he grumbled, kicking at the wooden slats. Seokmin didn’t doubt him, but he was more concerned that they had enough to afford something to eat. The promise of food was enough to flip Mingyu’s mood immediately, and he practically bounded down the boardwalk towards the food vendors.

“My treat,” he cooed, bowing and letting Seokmin go ahead of him. Seokmin laughed and smacked his shoulder, stepping closer to eye the menu. He contemplated really testing the depth of Mingyu’s bank balance, but decided to be a merciful date instead.

They ate with the moon rising into the sky, emerging from the sea in a halo of gold. The stars twinkled to life overhead, and the boardwalk came to life in its own way. Fairy lights flickered on along the fences lining the edges; the booths lighting up like neon invitations; even the crowd became thicker, drawn like moths to a vibrant, multi-coloured flame.

Seokmin noticed that Mingyu had something stuck to the corner of his mouth and reached out to wipe it away, his heart skipping a beat when Mingyu made eye contact with him. His ears started to burn, and he pulled his hand away with a shy smile.

The first wail and crackle went off overheard just as they finished their food, and Seokmin jumped out of his seat to toss away their garbage.

“Come on!” he shouted, running back and tugging Mingyu to the end of the boardwalk. Mingyu cried out and tried to keep up without tripping, almost crashing into Seokmin when they came to a sudden halt. Seokmin stared up into the sky as another firework went off, painting the sky with brilliant light before fizzling and fading to ashes. Memories of previous summer spanning far into his youth were brought back with every explosion- their friends eating cotton candy and dipping their toes into the water, skinny dipping far into the deep where those on the boardwalk couldn’t see, summer festivals and birthdays spent with them as their backdrop and finale. The perfect end to a night.

His hand tightened in Mingyu’s, and he lowered his eyes from the fireworks to the man beside him. He took a moment to inhale deeply, steeling his nerves and preparing himself for what he was about to do. When Mingyu saw him out of the corner of his eye he turned to face him, the flash of another firework making him glow just as Seokmin leaned in to kiss him.

He reached up with both hands to cup Mingyu’s face, his lips soft and gentle. Mingyu’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer and making Seokmin tilt his head up. He felt Mingyu’s head pull back just slightly before he kissed him again, more insistently, his lips cracking into a smile against Seokmin’s mouth. When they finally pulled away Seokmin could see Mingyu’s eyes glittering, even though the firework had long since died.

Seokmin made a lot of mistakes, but if they had all lead him to that moment then he didn’t regret a single one.

**Author's Note:**

> seokmin has a lot of love and a lot of kisses to give ;____; this is my first fic exchange and wow this was quite a learning experience, but i had a ton of fun writing this prompt (even if it came out a bit different than what was requested i hope it okay) i had a ton of fun though! :D hmu on twitter @s00nhan if u wanna chat


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